Norwich Cathedral: Weathercock brings reconnection with grandfather

Kim Paul with the weathercock removed from Norwich Cathedral

A woman has had the chance to see a cathedral weathercock on the ground, nearly 60 years after her grandfather hoisted it on to the spire.

Kim Paul's grandfather George was involved in restoring the weathercock to the top of Norwich Cathedral's spire in 1963 after it was regilded.

It has been removed again for regilding for the first time since.

"It is amazing to see it and have that connection with my granddad. I wish he was still alive to see it," she said.

Mr Paul died in 1999, aged 74.

Ms Paul's grandfather George was involved in restoring the weathercock to the top of the spire in 1963 after it was regilded

His granddaughter met her fiancé, fellow photographer Chris Skipper, while both were working on a project chronicling the cathedral's nesting peregrine falcons.

"We were up in the cathedral on 13 May 2019 when Chris proposed to me," said Ms Paul.

"My granddad would have loved my connection to the cathedral."

Kim Paul met her fiancee Chris Skipper at the cathedral

The cathedral's 264-year-old golden weathercock has been temporarily removed from the 96m (315ft) spire, the UK's second-tallest, as part of a restoration project.

The cathedral dates back to 1096 and has had three documented spires since its construction.

The cathedral spire is a historic landmark on the Norwich skyline

The first known spire, a timber frame with lead covering, was completed in 1297 but blown down in a storm in the 1360s.

The next spire, also made of timber, was burnt in a fire in 1463 caused by lightning.

Its replacement, the current spire, was completed in about 1485.